Visitors and foreign tourists accounted for 86% of the 3.65 lakh permits issued during the period

Surat guzzled maximum liquor followed by Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Kutch

Prohibition in Gujarat, did you say? Bah! The legal sale of liquor in this dry state with ‘stringent prohibition norms’ has only risen by more than six times in the past six years, reveals a reply filed under Right to Information. As per the information given by various district prohibition authorities, the sale of liquor across Gujarat stood at 51.03 lakh litre in 2011-12 but between 2012-13 and 2017-18, it shot up to 3.33 crore litre. In all, 3.85 crore litre of liquor was sold in the period.

Surat tops the chart followed by Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Kutch. What more, visitors and tourists have guzzled maximum liquor in the dry state, the figures indicate. Of the 3.65 lakh permits issued between 2012 and 2018, only nearly 52,000 permits were given to civilians residing in the state, reveals the RTI data. The remaining 3.13 lakh permits were issued as tourist permits (foreigners) and visitor permits (those living outside Gujarat).

The diamond city of Surat registered sale of 1.13 crore litre of liquor worth Rs 278.6 crore consumed over six years – only 14 lakh litre of liquor was sold here in 2011-12 as compared to nearly 1crore litre over the next five years. The total sale of Surat in last six years is 1.13 crore litre.

Ahmedabad was a close second with 74.14 lakh litre consumed over six years – the consumption was 15.21 lakh litre in 2011-12 and this rose to 58.93 lakh over the next five years. However, unlike Surat, the prohibition department of Ahmedabad did not provide the revenue figure saying “it pertains to third party”.

Similarly, Vadodara sold 33.41 lakh litre and Kutch, a major tourism hub, sold Rs 33.12 lakh litre in the same period. The RTI application seeking district-wise sale of liquor from 2011-12 to 2017-18 was filed by Bandish Soparkar, a practising lawyer in Gujarat High Court. Soparkar had sought details from the director of Prohibition and Excise department in Gandhinagar which forwarded his application to all district authorities. The replies were then sent to Soparkar by the authorities.

Liquor sale between 2011 and 2017

“The government has tightened the norms, but the figures pertaining to consumption of liquor and permits indicate there is no prohibition in reality. The prohibition law is not implemented in the right spirit,” said Soparkar.

Soparkar further said, “Since more permits have been issued to outsiders, it means the government does not have faith in its own people. It is construed that outsiders will not commit offence under the influence of alcohol, but Gujarat residents would. This is discrimination and should not happen.”

Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani said that while the state boasts of stricter prohibition laws, liquor was easily available across the state. “Since I became an MLA, I have raised the issue of liquor sale but the government is adamant,” he said, alleging, “Prohibition is a state-wide scam. It leads to corruption of crores of rupees that reach several top leaders.”

When Mirror spoke to Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja, he said, “I can’t comment unless I see the data revealed in the RTI. So, at this juncture I won’t able to comment.”

“Gandhi and Sardar Patel’s Gujarat has become the jhoomta Gujaratin Narendra Modi’s rule,” said Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani.

He said, “By increasing the number of permit shops, the government is encouraging people to consume liquor. I have raised a question in the assembly about illegal liquor caught in the state and you will be surprised that its volume that was only 1% of the total liquor illegally consumed in the state.”

A top officer of the state prohibition department requesting anonymity said, “Liquor sale has shot up in the state but it is the legal sale. The rise of permits to visitors, tourist and medical ground can be attributed to the hike in booze consumption. The government is mulling stricter policy in issuance of permits.”

When Mirror contacted Chief Secretary JN Singh and DGP Shivanand Jha, they refused to comment on the issue and said the prohibition department works independently.

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